Tax abatement workshop offered to Brockton residents

Ward 2 City Councilor Thomas Monahan and the Office of Mayor Bill Carpenter are offering a workshop on the tax abatement process in collaboration with the Assessor's Department on Tuesday, Jan. 28.

Staff Reporter

With tax season looming, residents are bracing for the dent that property taxes are going to put in their wallets.

However, residents who feel they are being overcharged because their home's value was assessed too high might be able to catch a break, if they can prove it.

On Tuesday, Ward 2 City Councilor Thomas Monahan and the mayor's office will hold a workshop on the real estate value abatement process in collaboration with the Assessor's Department at the Brockton Main Library from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

An abatement can be filed by residents who disagree with the assessed value of their homes; however, residents must be able to prove that their home valuation is inaccurate through the sale prices and valuations of comparable homes.

"If there are mistakes in your home valuation, they'll fix it," said Monahan on the abatement process.

Current valuations are based off of sales from 2011 and 2012, and only sales between willing parties are taken into account, meaning short sales and foreclosures are not considered comparable sales

Monahan said he began hosting the event a couple years ago when there was a public outcry after an increase in property taxes. In the past, between 25 and 40 people have attended the event added Monahan.

During the event, residents will be walked through the abatement process with the help of representatives from local real estate agencies.

The forms needed to file an abatement can be found in the Assessor's Department at City Hall, and the forms must be delivered or postmarked to that office by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 3 to be considered.

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